Vibrating couch



y 15, 1953 c. J. MILLER 2,843,113

VIBRATING coucu Filed Feb. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

CASPER J. MILLER July 15, 1958 c.'.1. MILLER VIBRATING coucn Filed Feb. 25, 1957 INVENTOR- C'nspm 111mm 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -w\ i ww N. I. 9 E mu 3 United States VIBRATING COUCH Casper Joseph Miller, Van Nuys, Calif. Application February 25, 1957, Serial No. 642,270 3 Claims. (Cl. 123-33) This invention relates to furniture such as lounges, couches and the like and more particularly relates to an adjustable couch provided with a vibrating device.

Under modern working conditions in the ofiice and factory and modern living conditions in the home, there has long been a need for an article of furniture such as a lounge or couch that will be a decorative asset and at the same time may be employed to aid in getting rid of that tired feeling, in releasing tension, and in providing relaxing preparation for a good nights sleep. To furnish the above is a primary object of this invention.

An important object is the provision of a lounge having a vibrating motor which is attached in a novel manner so as to give the user a floating spring action resulting in a prefect all over body massage.

A further object is to provide a novel head rest which is adjustable by means of simple, automatic controls, thereby permitting the user to relax by reading, sewing or watching television from a, sitting up or reclining position.

Another object of this invention is to furnish a lounge or the like having a vibrating unit provided with separate switches for the control of a motor fastened adjacent the upper part of the body and another switch for the control of a motor fastened adjacent the lower part of the body.

Another object is to provide a separate vibrating motor for the hinged upper portion of the lounge so as to furnish zoned vibrating of the upper portion of the body.

Another object is to furnish a separate vibrating motor for the lower portion of the lounge to provide zoned vibration for the lower portion of the body.

An important object of the invention is to provide separate motors attached to the upper and lower portions of the supporting structure, such as a lounge, wherein one motor will give gentle massage for temporary relief and two motors will give deep penetration to aid in curing more serious ills or maladjustments, and for recovery therapy.

A further object is to provide an article of furniture or the like, such as a couch or lounge, which is not only capable of fitting into the present decor, but is built of comparatively simple, compact and rugged construction, for years of trouble-free service. This article can be assembled and disassembled with the utmost ease with simple tools.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an article of furniture such as a lounge, with the invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, with a vibrating motor shown attached to the lower part of the couch;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a lounge 2,843,113 Patented July 15, 1958 with a motor attached to the upper hinged portion of the'article and another motor attached to the lower portion of the lounge;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a partial detail of one of the spring elements; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Numeral 10 designates the lounge of Fig. 1 in general, the same being supported on the floor on legs 12. The main frame 14 is of a rectangular formation and of a depth suitable for the desired purpose. As shown in Fig.

3, the frame 14 is composed of longitudinal members 16 and transverse members 18 and side walls 19. Attached to member 16a are three switches 20, 22, and 24 for the control of a pair of motors to be later described.

Fig. 2 shows a motor 26, attached to a bowed resilient, flat strap or spring 28, the same being attached at both ends as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A bolt 30 extends thru clamping plate 32 and transverse spring member 34, thence thru an oversize aperture in flat spring 28 to threadably receive a nut 36. Thus it may be seen that spring 28 which supports motor 26 is securely clamped at its ends to transverse crimped spring 34, which as seen in Fig. 2 is fixed to frame member 16 at each end.

The switches 20, 22, and 24 are placed in a convenient position so that a person lying upon the lounge in a relaxed position may readily and conveniently operate the same.

A time clock may also be utilized to control the switches so that treatments may be automatically terminated after a pre-determined length of time.

The frame 14 may be strengthened by transverse rods 38 and braces 40.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 to 6, in cludes the motor 26 of Fig. 1, and identical associated parts so the same numerals, primed, are used. The upper portion of frame 14' is provided with a piano type hinge 42 fixed to transverse frame bar 44 of head rest 46 and frame 14'.

Rods 48 are provided on the inner faces of members 16', and extend inwardly to engage arms 50, said arms being loosely mounted on hinge rod 52, which is fixed to said frame members,

Arms 50 are formed with hooks 5 which engage a rod 48 to support the head rest 44 in a serie of convenient adjusted positions, as seen in Fig. 3. A kick-off link 54, pivoted to arm 50 at 56, is utilized to release the arms from the adjusted positions so that a new position may be secured or the head rest may be returned to a horizontal position.

A second motor 64) is secured to the inner surface 62 of the head rest 44 in the manner shown in Figs. 5 and 6, by the use of strap 63. The head rest may be provided with a suitable padding 64 having a color and design adapted to blend with the decor or the home or ofiice where the lounge is in use. Frame elements 65 and fabric cover 66 are used to provide strength and give a finished appearance to the article of furniture.

The lounge of Figs. 1 and 2, having a single vibrating motor is designed to provide relief from simple fatigue and to furnish relaxation prior to retiring. The motor, when in operation will transmit, thru the resilient spring 28, combined with the flexiblity of spring 34, a zoned vibrating effect. By increasing the speed of the motor, the vibrations will increase in intensity to provide a greater effect upon the frame 14, the same being transmitted to the body of the user.

The lounge of Figs. 3 and 4, having two motors will provide zoned vibrations to only the upper or lower part of the body, as desired, if only gentle massage is needed.

When deep penetration is needed, both motors may be operated simultaneously.

While I have described a particular embodiment of my invention for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that various modifications and adaptations thereof may be made, and I hereby reserve the right to change the size, shape and materials within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vibrating lounge comprising, in combination, a frame having a lower body supporting portion and an upper body supporting portion including a hinged head rest, a motor for imparting vibrations to the lower portion of said frame, said motor connected to a bowed, resilient spring having apertures, said frame having transverse, resilient springs, apertured clamping plates and bolt and nut units adapted to utilize the apertures of said bowed spring and clamping plates for clamping said bowed spring upon said transverse springs to provide a floating spring suspension.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and add, the upper body supporting portion having resilient, transverse springs connected thereto, apertured clamping plates, a mounting plate having apertures, a motor on said mounting plate, and bolt and nut units adapted to clamp said mounting plate to said transverse spring for transmitting vibrations to said head rest.

3. The subject matter of claim 2, and means for locking said hinged head rest in adjusted positions and releasing the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

